Dental impression tray



B. K. BOWEN.

DENTAL IMPR'ESSION TRAY. APPLlCATlON FILED OCT. 31, 1921.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

UNITED STATES BOWEN K. BOWEN, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 31, 1921. Serial No; 511,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BOWEN K. BOWEN, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Impression Trays; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to impression trays for use in taking an impression of the gums with plaster of Paris, wax, or other substance, and the object of my invention is to provide a simple and improved instrument of this character sion material may be brought into more positive contact with the lingual side of the gums and a superior impression secured.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an impression tray embodying my improvement. Figure 2 is a plan of th tray in a reverse position to the showing of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows the parts detached. V

The sections 1 and 2 of my improved tray have each an angularly' disposed projection 3 which together form a handle at the front center for manipulating the tray as well as a means through which the sections are locked together by a thumb screw 4 passing through an aperture 5 of one of the'projecitions and into the alined threaded aperture 6 of the other. A lug 7 on one of the projections 3 intersects the plane of the other projection and acts as a stop to prevent slipping between. the respective sectionsof the tray.-

At the outer end of each'section on the.

lingual or inner side of the tray I provide a, hinged flange 10 the hinged connection being of a type which will allow free movement of the flange without looking the flange to the tray at any point. By prowhereby the impresnecting said viding these flanges I am enabled to secure a superior impression and particularly of the lingual side of the gums Where undercuts are frequently found, the hinged connection of the flanges permitting their manipulation by the fingers of the operator to carry the impression material into more positive contact with the gums, and such impression is obtained without danger of lacerating the soft tissue; Removal of the tray is easily accomplished and if need be it may be taken from the mouth in sections, the impression being cut by inserting a knife blade between the handle portions and into the material in the tray.

The advantages of my improved tray will be apparent to those skilled in th making of impressions for teeth.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dental impression tray including tray sections, each of said sections having a portion on the inner or lingual side thereof adapted for movementrelative to the remaining portion of the section, means conportions, and means for locking said sections.

2. A dental impression tray including tray sections, each of said sections having a flange on the inneror lingual side thereof, such flange being movable relative to said tray, angularlyfdisposed projections carried by said sections and forming a handle for the tray, and means for securing said sec tions against relative movement.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

3.11 dental impression tray includingtray sections, each of said sections having a hinged flangeon the inner or lingual side thereof, angularly disposed projections carried by said sections and forming a handle for the tray, and means for securing said sections against relative movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

BOWEN K. BOWEN. 

